Am I overdoing it?

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apl77
apl77 Posts: 3 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
I am currently doing the following exercise regime:
Monday - 15 mins cross trainer 30 mins chest freeweights, 10 mins stair master 5 mins rower
Tues - 36 lengths of frontcrawl/breaststroke 25m pool in 30 mins before work.
Tues - Hour long 'body combat' class
Wed - Swim as Tues am
Wed - 25 mins on spin bike (mix of stand/sit etc) back and legs weights approx 30 mins with 10 mins stairmaster and 5 mins rower
Thurs - 40 min swimming
Fri - See Monday
Sat - Same as Wed pm
Sun - day off

I generally go through the following diet
Breakfast - 50g oatbran with skimmed milk and honey
Snack - apple
Lunch - 5 rice cakes with turkey and carrot sticks
Snack - apple or banana
Dinner - skinless chicken breast/turkey steak/Sainsburys low fat sausages and a load of steamed veg

I find that I generally consume around 1600-1700 cals and then exercise on top of that.

I'm not losing any weight - haven't in about 2 weeks. I can feel a change in my body but wonder should I up my food or keep it as it is? I usually have quite a lot of calories left over but figured this is because I am really pushing the exercise.

My diet library is unlocked if anyone wants to see it and I tend not to record weights sessions, only cardio.

Any thoughts if I'm doing the right thing?!

Thanks :)

Replies

  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    You're a guy. Maybe you're not eating enough to support that level of activity so your body is "hanging on" to the weight. Your calorie range is more for a smaller person or a female. It's about what I would eat if I were doing that much activity in a day, and I'm around 5'2".
  • 1971MLJ
    1971MLJ Posts: 137 Member
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    I'm 5'3 and female and eat way more than that. Yours seems really low, but I'm no expert. I eat at that sort of level on rest days. I normally exercise 5 times per week and my calorie intake is between 1800 and 2100 per day although I'm no longer trying to lose weight.
    You can add me and check out my diary if you want. :smile:
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    Hi,
    I am currently doing the following exercise regime:
    Monday - 15 mins cross trainer 30 mins chest freeweights, 10 mins stair master 5 mins rower
    Tues - 36 lengths of frontcrawl/breaststroke 25m pool in 30 mins before work.
    Tues - Hour long 'body combat' class
    Wed - Swim as Tues am
    Wed - 25 mins on spin bike (mix of stand/sit etc) back and legs weights approx 30 mins with 10 mins stairmaster and 5 mins rower
    Thurs - 40 min swimming
    Fri - See Monday
    Sat - Same as Wed pm
    Sun - day off

    I generally go through the following diet
    Breakfast - 50g oatbran with skimmed milk and honey
    Snack - apple
    Lunch - 5 rice cakes with turkey and carrot sticks
    Snack - apple or banana
    Dinner - skinless chicken breast/turkey steak/Sainsburys low fat sausages and a load of steamed veg

    I find that I generally consume around 1600-1700 cals and then exercise on top of that.

    I'm not losing any weight - haven't in about 2 weeks. I can feel a change in my body but wonder should I up my food or keep it as it is? I usually have quite a lot of calories left over but figured this is because I am really pushing the exercise.

    My diet library is unlocked if anyone wants to see it and I tend not to record weights sessions, only cardio.

    Any thoughts if I'm doing the right thing?!

    Thanks :)

    Why not stick some chocolate in there? Weight loss is not all about eating healthy. It is just about eating at a deficit.
  • dammitjanet0161
    dammitjanet0161 Posts: 319 Member
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    I don't think the exercise regime is too bad (although morning swim and evening gym session 2 days on the trot sounds exhausting to me!) - I do think it looks like you could do with eating some more to sustain that level of exercise though, lunch in particular.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
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    Exercise doesn't look like you are overdoing it, but calories seems low.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    1. Your calorie intake is too low. I doubt what you listed even adds up to 1600-1700 calories. As a guy, you should never NET less than 1600 calories, ever. That means you need to eat back exercise calories until your net intake is 1600 AT LEAST. With that amount of exercise, I'd guess you should be eating more like 2000-2300 calories per day.

    2. Going two weeks without losing weight is not a big deal, and it's certainly not a plateau. Weight loss is not linear. You didn't put the weight on in two weeks and you're not going to lose it in two weeks.

    3. The exercise sounds excessive to me, but if you enjoy it then there's no reason you shouldn't do it. I'd put more heavy lifting and less cardio if I were you, but to each his own.

    4. The foods you're eating make it seem like you're being a stickler about only eating "healthy" foods. Rice cakes? Blech. Eat real food.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    so you do chest twice a week and legs once? what about the rest??
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    1. Your calorie intake is too low. I doubt what you listed even adds up to 1600-1700 calories. As a guy, you should never NET less than 1600 calories, ever. That means you need to eat back exercise calories until your net intake is 1600 AT LEAST. With that amount of exercise, I'd guess you should be eating more like 2000-2300 calories per day.

    2. Going two weeks without losing weight is not a big deal, and it's certainly not a plateau. Weight loss is not linear. You didn't put the weight on in two weeks and you're not going to lose it in two weeks.

    3. The exercise sounds excessive to me, but if you enjoy it then there's no reason you shouldn't do it. I'd put more heavy lifting and less cardio if I were you, but to each his own.

    4. The foods you're eating make it seem like you're being a stickler about only eating "healthy" foods. Rice cakes? Blech. Eat real food.
    ^All of this.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I am a middle aged woman (who weighs 135LBs) and I eat as many calories as you.

    You need to eat more. And you need to focus on eating food that fuels your workouts.

    ps: there's a blog here about rice cakes...there's nothing redeeming in them. Unless you adore them, and can't live without them, I'd put something more nutritious in their place.

    follow this advice:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    tweak as needed.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    Your exercise doesn't sound too excessive - if yiu enjoy it and have the time then go for it! I am currently running every single day on top of netball training once a week and ~45 mins of pilates most days. I am definitely sleeping better, that's for sure!

    But, as others have said, your calorie intake seems pretty low for a man, especially given all that working out.

    The 'stall' in your weight loss is quite normal. Is this a new regime you have started recently? If so, then your muscles will be adjusting to the new routine and will be holding on to more water to help repair the muscles. This is totally normal and will right itself soon.
  • rocks512
    rocks512 Posts: 3
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    I'd almost say not enough exercise or calories to be honest...
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    1. Your calorie intake is too low. I doubt what you listed even adds up to 1600-1700 calories. As a guy, you should never NET less than 1600 calories, ever. That means you need to eat back exercise calories until your net intake is 1600 AT LEAST. With that amount of exercise, I'd guess you should be eating more like 2000-2300 calories per day.

    2. Going two weeks without losing weight is not a big deal, and it's certainly not a plateau. Weight loss is not linear. You didn't put the weight on in two weeks and you're not going to lose it in two weeks.

    3. The cardio exercise sounds excessive to me, but if you enjoy it then there's no reason you shouldn't do it. I'd put more heavy lifting and less cardio if I were you, but to each his own.

    4. The foods you're eating make it seem like you're being a stickler about only eating "healthy" foods. Rice cakes? Blech. Eat real food.

    this. with a little editing

    I would add my support to the idea that the strength training isn't proportional to the cardio training.
  • rachlayne777
    rachlayne777 Posts: 1 Member
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    You are busting your butt. Congrats on that. :):)

    My advice? Two-fold:
    1. Go online and do a couple of the mathematical equations to figure out what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is. A good site I've used before is http://weightloss.about.com/od/caloriecounting/qt/calcbmr.htm. Your body requires a certain amount of calories per day just to breathe, digest food, think, have your heart beat, etc. I'm a 30 yr old female, 5'7", 136 lbs, and my BMR is around 1330 calories per day.
    2. Get a heart rate (HR) monitor, and a good one. When you "estimate" the calories you burn during exercise, you are not doing yourself any favors, especially with sites like this that treat your body like the beautiful math equation that it is. :)

    I would wager to say that you are probably not eating enough for your 1) sex (male) 2) weight/height and 3) activity. When you do this, your body is smart and literally thinks that it's "starving." When this happens your metabolism lowers as a protective mechanism, to hold onto the calories you have for what your body thinks are the "important" activities (you know, like breathing). :)

    Last thing....are you doing any HIIT training?? If you're not, research it, you should. Even 20 min sessions of this 2x a week help sky-rocket your metabolism. There are crazy HIIT workouts out there (like the Beachbody Insanity workout videos, they're crazy hard) but you can also do some easier HIIT training on a treadmill, spin bike, or elliptical.

    Good luck!
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
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    Your macros look off. I suggest doubling the protein and fat; halving the carbs
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Make sure you are eating enough. Like the rest said, 1600 is *bare minimum* My brother has lost over 100 pounds on a 1900-2000 calorie diet and only exercising about half - three-fourths of the time you spend. You will lose muscles and end up burning our if you don't fuel your workouts.

    The exercise itself looks fine if cardio is all you want to do.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Your macros look off. I suggest doubling the protein and fat; halving the carbs

    I wouldn't suggest doubling the protein unless he decides to lift heavy. His macros seem fine for cardio-only, imo.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Waaaay too much cardio, not enough lifting, and you're not eating nearly enough. Sorry, but that's a horrible program IMO. Eat more, lift 3-4 times a week, and cut the cardio in half.
    I'm not losing any weight - haven't in about 2 weeks. I can feel a change in my body but wonder should I up my food or keep it as it is? I usually have quite a lot of calories left over but figured this is because I am really pushing the exercise.

    This is because with all the meaningless cardio and undereating you're doing, your metabolism is so messed up it's holding on to any energy resource it can (fat).
  • bpayne78
    bpayne78 Posts: 249 Member
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    I agree with those who are saying too much cardio and not enough strength/weights AND you are so not eating enough. I am 5'8", 182 lbs and am pretty much sedentary due to my disorder. I get 1460 cals per day not including ANY activity I do. You.....are.....not.....eating......enough. I know that sounds crazy BUT it's true. I could not get any weight to come off until I got my FItBit to track my activity and realized I could eat a couple hundred more cals and still be at a deficit.

    I think other than adding some more strength/weights and cutting a little cardio your workouts are ok. Kudos to you for being so active. But eat more. I also agree that rice cakes really aren't worth it. I don't really think that they have much nutritional value and you could use the cals on more protein to fuel your workouts.

    Good Luck!!!!
  • apl77
    apl77 Posts: 3 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the feedback - really appreciate it.
    Definitely ditching the rice cakes as they taste worse than they look...

    Think i'll start adding whole nuts and focusing on more weights to balance the cardio.

    Thanks again - will see how it goes!
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    OMG I would die if I ate what you do.

    Eat more, you are a guy.

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